


Snow Bunny

by Shinocchi



Category: DRAMAtical Murder (Visual Novel), DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Character Development, Christmas, Come Eating, Domestic Fluff, Hand Jobs, M/M, Slow Build, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 22:15:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9092845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinocchi/pseuds/Shinocchi
Summary: He's been seeing him everywhere he goes, he's everywhere he is.He's sure that the younger man -- his junior -- had been tailing him for the longest time now but regardless of how he cracks his head, or how he's to confront this very man, nothing gives him the answers he want.
Until when the very person decides to make his step that Aoba realizes what's the real deal with him is.
University One-Shot, a commissioned piece.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TableFork](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=TableFork).



> This story is commissioned by Fork! [[Tumblr](http://tableforksartblog.tumblr.com/)] // [[Twitter](https://twitter.com/besttablefork)] with the prompt NoiAo in an university setting, experiencing winter for the first time c:
> 
> It's a broad idea I've received from her and so I polished it up and it turned out to be some sort of monster piece welp. Thank you so much for commissioning me, Fork! And making me write such a huge one-shot for NoiAo after a century haha! I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it! :D
> 
> My commission is still and will always be opened! [You can find out more details here](http://shinocchidesu.net/commission)! Feel free to contact me via [Tumblr](http://shinocchidesu.net/), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/shinocchidesu). or simply write me a mail to shinocchidesu@gmail.com if you have anything you'd like to read. Everything's negotiable! :D
> 
> Lastly, happy winter, and thank you for reading! <3

He never wanted to be associated with him. All he knew about him was that he was this spectacularly brilliant student whom had made his way into the realm of this university as simple and as single-handedly as if it was merely a piece of cake. He was never in the same league as him. But it’s hard not to know about him. He was _always_ outside his classroom, _always_ sitting near him in the cafeteria, and _always_ in the lobby whenever he was to walk out of the compound after school. It could be a mere coincidence (he was striking anyway) and it could all thanks to his own sensitivity that had given him this sort of alertness towards a stranger he didn’t even know.

But regardless, he seemed intimidating – he rarely talked, all he did was _stare_ – and Aoba was _sure_ that he had some sort of hidden agenda that he didn’t want to be associated with.

That would be the best route for him if he ever wanted to survive his university years in one piece.

He passed by him again when he walked out of his lecture hall, immediately feeling the searing gaze on him before he looked away, pretending as if he hadn’t noticed anything. Why was he staring anyway? Did he owe him anything? Did he want to tell him anything? Aoba could never tell what’s in his mind. He never heard him speak, now that he thought about it. Could he not speak? Or was he just anti-social? All the while feeling the stare at the back of his head, he sped up his steps, walking to where his friends were waiting for him before he turned around, no longer seeing the man where he once stood. He was _sure_ that the man had some business with him but for some reason, he wasn’t approaching him like how any other person would. He only stared.

That’s all he did.

He didn’t know how long had the man been doing this but ever since he’d noticed his consistent presence in his life, he couldn’t help but finding him in literally _every corner_ he’s in. It was even more apparent when he’d find him leaning against the gate every time he walked out of the compound, only standing up and walking away when he saw him. It was starting to creep him out. For many times, he’d wanted to confront him. But before he could do exactly that, he pulled himself back, restraining his impulse, and telling himself that perhaps he was simply thinking too much. Confronting a person without solid evidence was an imprudent act, suicidal even.

Perhaps he was really thinking too much. Perhaps the man wasn’t even looking at him, but someone else.

He was _still_ thinking about the man as he lied in bed, staring inanely at the ceiling. That man didn’t look like he was going to pose any sort of threats at him; he looked slimmed, just slightly taller than him, and that’s it. Perhaps it was the penetrating gaze that he’d been constantly giving Aoba that was intimidating him.

And he couldn’t figure out exactly _why_ is he so riveted with him either.

Slamming his head into the pillow, he got up, shaking his head violently, and walked towards the computer, wanted to seek for a sort of distraction, of relief. He didn’t know what to do, he had never been using much of his computer ever since the new term started. His eyes wandered from one corner to the other, skipping past documents of assignments and homework from the past until his gaze fell on an icon that looked weirdly nostalgic.

 “Ah,” he released a small sound. When was the last time he clicked on this anyway? A year ago? More than a year ago? When did he stop playing? Why did he stop playing?

He searched his memories. The blue icon stood on his desktop, as if calling out for him. He remembered the intensity he’d experienced with this game, and the many sleepless nights he’d gone through just to complete missions after missions. He remembered being a top player of the game, he remembered himself being called King and he remembered all the victorious gratification he’d achieved from the game.

But those were in the past.

_Why_ did he stop playing? he wondered. Was it because of school? Was it because of something else?

He off the computer. Regardless of what it was, he had no intention to return to it. The game was his past, and it should remain as a past.

He should focus on the present – his present now, however, was the fact that he could be potentially tailed by a young stalker, for whatever reason it could be.

 

* * *

 

 

He’s there again. Purposefully averting his gaze, Aoba walked past him, acting as if he hadn’t noticed him just to find him moving the instant he walked out of the compound. He frowned. He’s _obviously_ following him now and there’s no way Aoba could be mistaken this time. When he stopped walking, _he_ stopped too. When he walked again, he followed suit, like a shadow. He sped up his pace, almost running, hearing the rapid footsteps from behind him. What’s his purpose? Why is he following him? What business does he have with him? They are all the same questions he’d been asking himself for numerous times now.

This cannot continue.

Stopping abruptly, he turned around, coming face-to-face with the man as he shot him a furious glare.

“Spit it,” he growled. The man was just slightly taller than him, just slightly bigger sized than him. But he’s still _younger_ than him and there’s no way Aoba would allow himself to be humiliated all over again. They might as well settle everything once and for all now.

But instead of responding, all the man did was flashing him with a pair of dismissive lime-green eyes, as if scrutinizing him, scanning him from the inside out, head to toe. It’s making him feel very uncomfortable.

“I don’t know what business you have with me,” Aoba gritted his teeth. He took just one step towards the man, their faces merely inches apart, his angry breath hitting the other man on the face. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll never know. So why don’t you just tell everything already?”

The man stared. He continued staring. Just like how he always did. He was challenging Aoba’s nerves.

Then, he smirked, the corners of his lips curving as he grasped onto Aoba’s wrist, pulling their distance closer.

“I do whatever I want,” he whispered, right into Aoba’s face, his voice a drastic contrast with Aoba’s.

Aoba didn’t even have the time to register what was happening before he found the man walking away, the nonchalant look returned to his features. All that was remained in him was the man’s voice, vibrating, repeating stridently in his own ears.

He managed to make the man speak. But it wasn’t how he’d wanted things to turn out to be.

 

* * *

 

 

Was he too naïve to believe that he’d ever find out what’s the matter with that man? He didn’t seem like he would ever want to open up to him anyway, why was he so persistent with him then? He was simply a bit… weird. And maybe, _just maybe_ , he had something with Aoba that was the reason why Aoba couldn’t let him off so easily. His curiosity way too strong, there’s no way he’d give up until he found his answer.

He spent the whole morning of his weekend pondering about the man. It was when he heard loud movements from a stair below him that he poked his head out of his front door, attempting to figure out what the cause of the commotion was. He walked out just in time to see an old lady – which he recognized as his neighbour – pacing up the stairs, smiling when she saw him.

“Ah, Aoba. Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Aoba responded with a smile. “Did something happen?”

“Nothing serious,” the old lady beamed. “But it’s good that I found you.”

“Huh?”

“I’m moving a few furniture around my house and it’s not possible for me to move heavy things. Would you mind helping?”

Oh, so that’s the source of the noise he heard earlier.

“Sure!” he agreed without a second thought. He didn’t have anything to do anyway, might as well spend time on something meaningful instead of wasting his brain juice on questions he didn’t have the answers for.

He followed his neighbour down the stair, surprised to see a cabinet and a few tables already shifted out of the house. Did she do it alone? Or did she have someone else to help her out?

“Noiz, I found someone to help you.”

Noiz…?

He waited, stared as the old lady went into the room, calling for the person who was helping her. And the moment she reappeared again, Aoba found his jaw drop, his gaze fixed shockingly at the man in front of him.

It’s his stalker.

Still wearing his usual flippant expression, he gave Aoba a sideway stare, as if he wasn’t at all surprised to see Aoba there.

“Noiz had been helping me since this morning. But I figure it might be too much for him to handle everything all by himself. Would you mind helping, Aoba?”

The old lady was still smiling at him when she asked and there’s no way Aoba could reject it even when he realized the situation he was now in.

“S-sure!” he said, stuttered at the end of his words.

“Thank you.”

“Why are you here?” Aoba asked, no longer able to sustain the stiff air between them.

“I’m here to help, like she said.”

Aoba didn’t get to hear a lot of Noiz’s voice when he spoke, the one and only time had chills running down his spine. He wasn’t expecting a husky voice, especially not from someone younger than him. But this time, when Noiz spoke again, he sounded less intimidating than before, almost sounding like his age, yet cold and emotionless all at the same time.

“I mean, how did you end up here?”

He didn’t even know where this person stayed. Was he an acquaintance of the old lady then if she was to approach him for help? What kind of relationship would he have with an old lady?

There’s too many mysteries surrounding this man that Aoba couldn’t help but feel wary towards him. But the man averted his gaze, as if ignoring his question, before he heard a quiet answer that was never part of his expectation.

“I stay here. This floor.”

…what?

Did he mean to say that… he’s his _neighbour_ all this while?

Why did Aoba never know about this? He never saw him around ever, never once when he walked out or returning home. How long had he been staying here then? Did he just move in? Or…?

Was this the reason why he’d been using the same route as Aoba every day on his way home? Not because he was following him but because… he was going home, to the same place where Aoba stayed?

He swallowed down his throat, suddenly feeling embarrassment swarming him from the inside.

Did he misunderstand him all this while after all?

This is so embarrassing all Aoba wanted to do was return home and close himself in his room and reorganize his thought. But at that precise moment, the man spoke again, disturbing his thoughts.

“We need to move all the tables out, shift this cabinet in, and move the tables in again.”

He didn’t seem like he’d noticed Aoba’s dismay, or maybe he was intentionally ignoring it. Regardless of what it was, Aoba was grateful that he’d chosen to voice out at that time. With a nod, he walked pass him, without another word, without another exchange of gaze, and started working on the furniture.

This is a mistake. Everything is a mistake.

And he needs to fix it. Soon.

The only question remained is – how?

 

* * *

 

 

The weather dropped a few temperatures lower upon stepping into winter. With a scarf wrapped around his neck, he blew hot air into his hands before he closed the door to his apartment, finally setting eyes at the blanket of white now sullying his town. Summer felt like yesterday – when the view was still bright and orange and everything was dry. But now, there was a sort of misty aura to the atmosphere as he stepped out of the warmth that was his home, into the cold and blue and dampness of winter. He wasn't a great fan of winter, but he didn’t particularly mind it after all. There’s a sort of quiet, peaceful mood when the city was so blissfully white like this. It’s a completely different sort of mood from the other seasons but it was something he’d come to enjoy after he’d gotten used to it.

He stepped into the streets, taking a backward glance at his apartment, then releasing a low sigh.

He was still unable to catch sight of the man – Noiz, was it? – even though he’d come to know that he stayed in the same building as he was. Which floor did he stay in? Was it near to his own? After they’d done with their job that day, Noiz had made his quick depart, as if rushing for time, without exchanging more interactions with Aoba. It’s ironic. Despite how he was often the one chasing after Aoba, it drew a chuckle out of Aoba realizing how this time, he seemed to be running away from him.

His impression towards Noiz changed just a tad after the incident, although he wouldn’t say that he’d come to trust him completely. He still needed answers to his questions and he’d hoped to bump into Noiz again so that he could have an excuse to talk more with him.

But luck wasn’t by his side and despite the many days that had passed, he had not seen Noiz anywhere but in the school compound. It made him suspect if Noiz had deceived him about staying in the same building as him after all, just so he could give himself a reason to follow Aoba like how he used to.

Something in Aoba told him that that’s not the case. He never knew Noiz for long, but for some reason, something told him that Noiz wasn’t entirely filled with unscrupulous intentions – an evil man wouldn’t help an old lady in need, at the very least.

With one last look at his house, he walked his way down the pavement, following the familiar route heading towards school and hoping that he’d be able to see Noiz in school later.

…which he did.

He cursed at himself when he deterred eye contact the moment he saw the familiar glint of blond-coloured hair from the corner of his eyes. He could feel Noiz’s sweltering gaze at him, but all he did was rushing away, pretending as if he didn’t see him. He couldn’t quite understand what had triggered this reaction of his. _He_ was the one who’d wanted to speak with Noiz, why was he running away from him then? Was it because of how daunting Noiz looked like every time they were to see each other? Noiz didn’t seem like he’s at all intimidated by Aoba, so why should _he_ be the one running away from him?

He wanted to slam his head against the desk so that he could buck up.

This won’t work. If _he_ was the one running away, then they’d never be able to have a proper conversation with each other.

Frustrated, he stayed back in the classroom after school hours, watching rivulets of red mixed with orange shining through the window to where he sat. Was Noiz waiting for him in front of the school gate again? Like how he always did? It’s late now, could he already be heading back?

Was he afraid to see Noiz? That’s why he’s staying back?

He released a heavy sigh. He couldn’t figure himself out anymore. He’s weird, he’s not himself, and it’s irritating him.

Lifting his bag, he walked out of the lecture hall, wanting to walk around before he conjured enough courage to walk to the front door. He came to a stop in front of the computer room, peeking into the room to see that it’s vacant before he pushed his way into the space.

It felt nostalgic to be back here again. He used to spend time here after school when he was in his first year, just so he could play a few rounds of a game he was once very addicted to. It was a game of destruction and revival; it was an escapade he was once very fond of, one that pulled him away from his complicated reality and giving him the gratification he needed. He was young then, so very immature and carefree that nothing really mattered to him. He lived in a world of denial, believing that the fact that nothing around him could be more interesting than crowning himself the Champion in the game.

_Rhyme_. A name he was still very much attached to – a name that held the darkest yet the most glory of his past.

He never regretted everything he’d done when he was still a freshman. He simply was. It’s simply part of growing. Perhaps Noiz was going through that phase as well, and perhaps that’s why it’s so hard for Aoba to understand what’s in his mind.

Should he play a few rounds? he wondered. It’s been a long time since he played a game, though, he was sure that his skills had rusted.

He walked into the room, about to find a place to sit when he heard movements, immediately stopping him in his tracks. A man looked up from one of the computers in a corner of the room, which Aoba recognized immediately of who he was.

“Noiz…?”

Noiz seemed surprised to hear his own name. With a frown, he returned his attention to the screen, acting as if he hadn’t noticed Aoba, even though Aoba was perfectly sure that he’d seen him.

He clenched his fists, gulping down his throat. Well, if he wanted to make up for all the humiliating moments he’d pulled upon himself, he might as well make use of this chance now. With his resolution firmed, he walked towards Noiz, noting how Noiz portrayed no changes whatsoever to his action, and sat beside him.

“What are you doing here?”

It’s the same question he had been asking Noiz all this while – since he confronted him, since he found him in his apartment building, and now, when he’s sitting so close to him.

“Why are _you_ here?” Noiz asked instead. “Shouldn’t you be going home by now?”

It seemed like Noiz _really_ do know every one of Aoba’s activities like the back of his hands.

“I say the same to you,” Aoba retorted. He really thought that Noiz would be waiting in front of the school gate. Instead, they’re both here, for some weird coincidental reasons.

Noiz didn’t respond. He focused his attention on the screen, which then attracted Aoba’s attention to join his gaze.

“Ah.”

Noiz was playing some sort of game, one glance was all Aoba needed to recognize the interface.

“You play this game too, huh?” Aoba said, sounding a bit astounded.

Noiz lifted a smirk, one gesture Aoba had only seen once.

“You too,” he said.

He didn’t even want to ask how Noiz knew that he did, his own question must have given him away.

“A long time ago, yeah,” he admitted instead. It’s not something he regretted anyway. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with playing a game when one was young.

“You seem to be an expert,” he continued, knowing that they would stuck in a discreet box if he didn’t say anything. Every action Noiz did on the screen was everything Aoba was familiar with – he knew when was the best time to conjure an action, and when was the best time to retreat. Noiz seemed to be reading the instructions in his head, his skill solid, smooth, and it reminded Aoba of himself.

“I’ve always wanted to defeat this person,” Noiz said out of nowhere, gaze still stuck on the screen as he magnificently destroyed a perimeter field of enemies.

“Who is it?” Aoba asked. Was it a new champion after him? He wouldn’t know. It’s been a long time since he touched the game.

So why was he asking anyway?

Noiz didn’t answer, acting as if he hadn’t heard Aoba’s question. He took over a few rounds of his game then retreated from it, standing up and stared at Aoba.

“Let’s go.”

“Huh? Go—wait!”

He chased after Noiz, coming to walk by his side. The school ground was quiet, most students seemed to have gone home. The wind stronger than he remembered it to be, he enveloped his scarf firmer around his neck, covering half of his face, then stuck his hands into his jacket’s pocket. Noiz had grabbed his coat from the locker, surprising Aoba the moment he saw his attire. Even when he’d witnessed several times of how Noiz potentially had better fashion taste than him, it’s still surreal to know that he would even bother to dress himself up like this.

He really didn’t know anything about Noiz after all.

Assuming that they were heading home, Aoba walked on his own pace, minding his own business. The cold was terribly disturbing him, he wasn’t at all aware that it’d be so cold tonight. One sneaking glance at Noiz told him that Noiz was completely undisturbed; he walked with his usual deadpan composure, looking around as if Aoba didn’t exist. But his steps were slow and stable, just nice for Aoba to walk by his side.

“You’re heading home?” Aoba asked, no longer able to endure the silence between them.

“Yeah,” Noiz responded simply. “Do you have anywhere you want to go?”

“Hmm… not really,” Aoba said.

“I see.”

It was merely a very simple exchange of discourse, but that’s all Aoba could manage before he rubbed his hands together, the chilliness of the weather finally got to him.

Then, all of a sudden, Noiz stopped, causing him to stop as well. As he turned to look at him, he saw that Noiz had taken his coat off and in the next moment, the very coat was cloaked around his own body, warmth wrapped him, the cold became just a tad more bearable.

“It’s only a few more steps left,” Noiz said. He couldn’t see his expression; he was looking into a distance, as if checking their course. But Aoba couldn’t be bothered by how many steps they’d left until they reached their apartment. Totally distracted by what Noiz had just done, he simply allowed his legs to do the walking for him, following Noiz, noticing that their distance was a lot closer than before now, and feeling heat rushing to his head, painting the tips of his ears red.

He could smell of nothing but Noiz’s scent with Noiz’s coat enfolded so steadfastly around him like this. The coat was just slightly bigger, but enough to keep him warm. It’s embarrassing having to have a younger man – his junior, nonetheless – taking care of him like this. But that very gesture of Noiz sent a pang of warmth right into his chest, spreading heat to his limbs and every ounce of his skin and he knew perfectly well that it wasn’t the fact that he’s wearing thicker clothing now that was the reason why the frostiness was more endurable.

The more he interacted with Noiz, the less he came to know about him. He once thought Noiz was simply another rebellious man looking for troubles with him. But so far, nothing he did to Aoba had been lethal, definitely not life-threatening. And now that he even conducted actions like this did nothing but make Aoba felt as if he’d been misunderstanding Noiz all along after all.

When they came to their apartment building, they stopped, staring at each other momentarily before Aoba spoke, his voice cracked as he did.

“D-do you want to drop by? I mean,” he quickly added, just to hide his flusters. “I want to thank you for borrowing me this, and since your house shouldn’t be too far from mine so…”

He immediately cursed at himself the moment he said it. What is he doing? Why is he inviting Noiz over? Is he sure that Noiz is completely trustable now?

Noiz merely stared at him for a good thirty seconds before he grinned, catching Aoba off guard.

“Are you making dinner?”

He took back everything he said. This was what Noiz was aiming for – he’s aiming for food, for a repay to the coat he borrowed Aoba.

With a pout, Aoba marched towards him, pulling their distance closer, and flicked a finger against Noiz’s forehead.

“Okay, okay, I’ll make dinner. I take that as you’re dropping by, alright?”

It’s fine, he managed to convince himself in the end. What’s wrong with inviting him over for dinner anyway? He seemed like he’s living by himself after all and if Aoba could make him speak more about himself just by giving him food, then he’s perfectly fine with it. It’s an easy strategy. Too easy, in fact. But he’s not going to complain about it – for he had finally felt as if he’d come closer to know Noiz a bit better.

“Feel free to sit around.”

Feeling just a tad of regret for not tidying up his house a bit better before he left in the morning, Aoba opened the door, inviting Noiz in and took off his coat, alongside his jacket once he reached the living room. Noiz remained standing at the front door, taking his shoes off in such a sluggish manner that Aoba thought he was looking at him moving in slow motion. He seemed to hold immense interest towards Aoba’s house as he looked around, completely distracted by whatever he could set his eyes on, until Aoba called out to him.

“Well… for dinner, do you have anything in particular that you want to eat?”

Noiz returned his attention to Aoba, still pokerfaced.

“Not really.”

“Hmm.” Well, that wasn’t really helping. If Aoba was to eat by himself, he’d simply make himself a bowl of noodle and that’s it. But now that he had an unexpected guest in his house… He strode into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and frowned at the lack of materials in it. With whatever ingredients he’d left in his house, the best he could make for them was… indeed, two bowls of noodles. Nothing fancy, just noodles with supplemented eggs and vegetables.

“Are you hungry?” he called from the kitchen. Noiz had appeared at the corridor leading to the kitchen, slanting against the door as he smirked.

“Not really,” he repeated the same answer. “I’m fine with anything you can make.”

The way he said it did nothing but make Aoba feel all the more infuriated. He sounded as if he was looking down on him – or teasing him – and while he brought all the ingredients he’d left with him and placed them on the counter, he made a silent vow to himself that he’d wipe that smug grin off Noiz’s face no matter what he needed to sacrifice.

He rushed Noiz out of the kitchen, closing the door and taking a deep breath. Speaking of which, he’d never seen Noiz eat anything before when they met in the school, not even during their lunch break. Did Noiz eat at all? Or was he some sort of robot that had some sort of insane ability?

He shook his head. He’s being carried away again. Noiz was _perfectly_ human. Yes, he could be emotionless and cold and perhaps too-smart and too-fast and everything that felt inhuman but he’s _definitely_ human. Why was he doubting him in the first place anyway?

Brushing all his unnecessary thoughts off his mind, he returned to cutting the vegetables, all the while wondering if he should at least serve his guest a drink before he started cooking for him.

It turned out that Noiz was _really_ fine with anything Aoba was to make. He asked no questions as he gobbled the noodle down, made no reactions when he finished it. He drank the bowl of noodles Aoba made to the last bit of it, leaving Aoba to gape in awe as he hurried with his own food. Was Noiz really hungry? he wondered. Should he have made more?

But he didn’t ask nor make more. Once they’re done, he merely kept the dishes away, averting Noiz’s gaze the entire time until when he reached the sink in his kitchen that he released a relieved sigh. Noiz seemed perfectly normal. Their interactions over dinner was minimal but he could already tell how… _normal_ Noiz was. He’s just a normal man, a normal student. The only thing with him was how he didn’t seem to want to talk at most times, although the frequent stare he gave Aoba suggested otherwise. When he returned to the living room, Noiz was sitting on the couch, fiddling with his phone, eyes kept low even when Aoba sat by his side.

“Hope dinner was fine with you,” Aoba started, attempting for a conversation.

Noiz shut his phone then, turning around to look at Aoba.

“Fine,” he said.

“What do you usually eat anyway? Do you even eat?” It’s one of those questions that had been bothering him for a bit now. But it’s a good start – perhaps he’d be able to find out more answers from Noiz if he kept this pace up.

“Pizza, sometimes pasta,” Noiz said meekly.

“Huh? Everyday?”

“Yeah.”

That’s… not very normal, Aoba thought to himself.

“Don’t you eat something else? Rice? Bread?”

Noiz shook his head. “Pizza and pasta are fine.”

This was _definitely_ not normal. He turned wholly around, staring at Noiz with seriousness written all over his face.

“You need to eat other stuff too,” he emphasized.

“What’s the point of doing that?” Noiz asked. “It’s just food.”

“Food helps you grow!” Even though he noticed how Noiz was already bigger-sized than him despite his imbalance nutrient intake. It’s a bit… mortifying.

“Look who’s speaking,” Noiz responded with a smirk. He obviously read his mind.

Looking away, Aoba pouted, deciding to drop the topic. He needed to reorganize his impression. Noiz was normal, but not at the same time. It’s confusing, but exciting for him to discover more. They ended up speaking about their majors, of how he’d come to understand that Noiz had been living one floor below him ever since he moved in himself, still amazed at the fact that he knew nothing of this until he bumped into Noiz out of coincidence.

Having someone in the house wasn’t something unpleasant after all. All this while, he’d been living all by himself, doing his own things, cooking for himself, watching the television and doing his own homework all by himself. Noiz was the same too. He didn’t seem like he’s a person who’d invite any friends to his house anyway. Did he even have friends in the first place? Aoba had never seen him hanging out with anyone else as long as he’d come to know about hi,. He wouldn’t be surprised if he had absolutely no friends at all.

It’s a bit… lonely.

Perhaps… just perhaps, Aoba could be his first and only friend. He couldn’t tell if his speculation was true, or if he could even consider himself as Noiz’s friend, seeing how they hadn’t been interacting until now. But if that’s really the case… it’d be really nice if he could show Noiz more things in this world. He didn’t seem like he knew a lot of things anyway, he hadn’t been showing the slightest interest on anything on their way back home. Even when he was eating earlier, he took time to look at each and every ingredient he ate, question marks written all over his face.

He’s cute and Aoba was even staggered to realize he’d come to this impression of Noiz. But regardless of who Noiz really was, he could be sure that Noiz definitely meant no harm. He’s simply a curious child who knew nothing of how to communicate with another person. He might had his own matters with Aoba but Aoba was sure that it must be nothing detrimental. Perhaps that’s why he’d let his guard down, even when he practically had someone in his house, sitting just right next to him, in a distance so close he wasn’t supposed to be used to.

Yet, he nodded off, leaning his head against this very stranger’s shoulder, completely relaxed, and didn’t even realize when a soft kiss was pressed against his forehead, a heavy weight being lifted off his chest at long last.

 

* * *

 

 

His head felt heavy when he woke the next morning. Sitting up from his bed, he rubbed his eyes, then blinking a few times to adjust his vision to the bright rays of sunshine pouring into the room. He didn’t remember when he fell asleep, let alone how he ended up on the bed. While he searched his memory, he rummaged around, finding for the clock, and brightened his eyes when he heard footsteps outside his room.

“M’nin.”

He gaped, petrified. How… and when did he come in?

Oh. Oh, right.

“Morning,” he responded, albeit still surprised.

Was he the one who’d brought him to his bed then? It’s a bit flustering thinking about it, though. Scrambling out of his bed, he almost tripped, feeling his world spinning if Noiz hadn’t been rushing over to grab onto him on time.

“Are you okay?” he asked, voice small, his arm supporting Aoba’s torso.

I’m fine, was what he wanted to say but he wasn’t fine at all and Noiz obviously knew it. Trying to balance himself out again, he supported himself by holding onto Noiz’s shoulders, breathing profoundly all at the same time. It must be from the cold yesterday, he should’ve brought his coat.

“Take a break today?” Noiz suggested, but was quick to be responded by him shaking his head.

“Don’t worry about me,” he said. “It’ll… be fine if I just walk around.”

His head hurt, his body was burning up. He knew that this wasn’t going to be healed as soon as he wanted it to be but there’s no way he was going to let himself fall in front of a stranger. He’d be fine if he could make himself move and function as normal as he could. With hefty footsteps, he walked out of the room, all the while feeling Noiz’s gaze on the back of his head.

The weather was no less harsh than it was yesterday. Winter was loudly proclaiming its arrival as Aoba stepped into the cold, his entire body freezing up upon feeling the sharp gust of winter breeze. He pulled his coat firmer, hiding his hands in the pockets and walked, sluggishly and cripplingly, down the streets, with Noiz following closely by his side.

He thought he should say something – thank him or something – but his own body condition was getting into the way of his conscious thoughts so all he could manage was courteous small talks that he knew sounded forced even when he tried not to.

They parted at the school gate. Still feeling Noiz’s staring at him as he walked away, he sighed deeply, wondering how huge of a mess he had made himself to be. Noiz hadn’t been saying anything to him all the while as they walked. He seemed to have something in his thoughts that Aoba didn’t know, yet he wasn’t telling him. Aoba wished he would’ve spoken more to him though, otherwise, he wouldn’t need to be spending most of the time crushing his head to fill in the silence between them. But what done was done. Now that he was seated in his own lecture hall, he slumped on the table, feeling the heat becoming worse, and wondering if it was really a good idea to be attending class at all today.

He couldn’t quite remember what happened for the rest of the day. Spending most of his time in the infirmary, he only woke when the day ended, practically dragging his feet down the corridor, then bumping into someone the moment he turned a corner towards the direction of the staircase.

“Sorry!” he immediately said. When he received no response, he looked up, just to see the familiar pair of lime-green eyes staring at him.

“Noiz…?”

“Thought I might find you here.”

He’s looking for him?

“Going back now?”

Aoba nodded. It’s too much for his body to take, he’s been pushing its limits for the entire day now. With that confirmation, Noiz gripped his hand, pushing him into yet another state of confusion, and guiding him down the stairs then out of the school compound.

They didn’t speak at all while they made their way back home. He couldn’t make out if Noiz was worried about him or if Noiz had any other business with him and he hoped he could tackle it later if it was to be the latter. He was definitely in no condition to be handling any sorts of complicated matters with Noiz now, if Noiz’s intention was to confront him at all. But Noiz did none of those. Leading him to his own house, he struggled as he found his key, opening the door, and immediately crashed on the couch the moment he stepped into it.

Out of his own conscious, he felt a hand on his forehead as he breathed profoundly, head too heavy to function. Then, he felt a weight sinking by his side, followed by the same hand against his neck, as if checking his temperature.

“You’re having a fever,” he heard Noiz said. He knew he was, but there’s nothing he could do now but to rest up. Without answering, he mumbled, dozing off, and sank into darkness, his body constrained to its limits.

It’s already late evening by the time he woke with a start. Still feeling the buzz in his head, he looked around, realizing that he’s in his own bedroom again and trying to figure out what happened all over again, like how he did in the morning. He had been too out of himself the entire day and he blamed it wholly on his own sickness. If he could make himself something quick to eat, perhaps he’d feel better…

But before he could even do that, someone appeared on the door, bringing in what smelled like a bowl of cooked food into the room.

His eyes brightened, his jaw dropped the moment Noiz settled by his side. He stared from Noiz to the bowl of porridge he placed by his bedside table, still in profound disbelief.

“Eat,” Noiz merely said.

He didn’t. He continued staring at Noiz, still couldn’t believe what was happening.

“Why?” he muttered with croaked voice.

Noiz perked a curious eyebrow, visibly surprised.

“Why are you doing this?” Aoba repeated. What’s his motive? Why was he acting so different from how Aoba thought he should be?

“You’re sick,” Noiz said simply, totally avoiding the core of his question.

“Why are you doing this for me?” Aoba said again, as if he hadn’t been clear enough.

Noiz didn’t respond. Instead, he reached out to the bowl of porridge, bringing a spoonful of food up and blew it. When the food was brought to Aoba’s lips, Aoba remained unmoved, unwilling to budge until if Noiz could give him a proper explanation.

“Noiz,” he called out. It’s starting to scare him now. Noiz was acting completely out of his own expectations. He’s not used to this. He’s not used this part of Noiz who was so warm, so… gentle, he felt as if he didn't know him at all. Truthfully, it was distressing. He didn’t like to deal with things he had no idea of – a person, above all.

Noiz sighed. He seemed to be slightly aggravated from Aoba’s behaviour but he expressed none of those, at least not in ways Aoba could notice. Putting the spoon back into the bowl, he inched himself closer towards Aoba, ultimately sitting on his bed as he continued moving his face closer, bringing their distance so close that Aoba was literally staring into his eyes.

“Don’t you figure it out already?” Noiz asked, hot breath hitting Aoba on the face when he spoke. Aoba had absolutely no clue to what he was talking about. What exactly did Noiz want from him? What was Noiz hiding from him? And what was Noiz so desperately trying to tell him now?

While he stuttered, Noiz had lifted a hand, brushing light strokes across his face, tracing the outline of his cheek before he found him leaning closer, hitching a breath when he felt their lips touch.

He was so perplexed in the moment that his breath was caught in his chest. Noiz’s kiss was soft, _so gentle_ that it was such a huge contrast to whatever he thought Noiz was to be. Could he truly believe in what he was speculating at this moment when his head was so heavy he couldn’t think straight? Could he wholly believe that the heat in his body was a cause of his fever, and not from how he felt towards Noiz? He closed his eyes, no longer wanting to think too hard as he returned Noiz’s kiss, encircling his arms around Noiz’s neck as he did.

That seemed to have worked as a powerful assurance because in the next moment, Noiz was kissing him harder, the tip of his tongue licking blithely against Aoba’s lips, urging him to open his mouth. And once he did, he found his tongue entwined with Noiz’s in an instance, sweet sensation running down his spine the moment they shared a deeper kiss.

He panted heavily when they separated, still completely unsure of what was going on. But Noiz looked so kind, his profile relaxed, an expression Aoba had never known.

Was Noiz having a crush on him all this while? Did he not realize it until now?

“Took you long enough,” Noiz smirked. He leaned in to peck Aoba teasingly on the cheek again before he pulled him into a hug. Their heartbeats thumped ferociously against each other’s chests, as if threatening to crash out of their ribs. Aoba didn’t even understand why was he feeling so flustered. It was a confession so strong it caught him completely off guard. His body was burning and he could feel just _how much_ Noiz wanted him at this very moment. He was being pulled into Noiz’s flow, and he hoped the next thing he did was what his conscious mind would have wanted him to do.

Cupping Noiz’s face, he kissed him again, a kiss so deep it pushed the air out of his lungs. For the first time ever since they’d come to know each other, he wanted so much to feel Noiz, to know exactly what he’s thinking from beneath that emotionless face. He wanted to know all sorts of expression Noiz could make when he’s with him, peeling his sturdy layers off, and ultimately having him to expose everything to Aoba. Wasn’t this what Aoba had been wanting all along? Wasn't he the one who’s so persistent to make Noiz reveal everything to him?

The truth was something he totally didn’t expect, yet was something that was too good to be true. And for the first time in his life, he found himself wanting to know about another person in such an agitated way it’s making it hard for him to breathe.

“Noiz…” he mumbled between kisses. The kiss they shared was so heated it wasn’t helping his fever at all. He’s sweating from head to toe, his mind foggy, his vision equally so, and every ounce of pleasure he was feeling simply from the kiss was running down south in a fanatical speed that he had no control whatsoever to stop himself from wanting more from Noiz. What’s with this sudden need for pleasure, though? He didn’t remember himself to be turned on so fast. Was it because of the fact that he hadn’t been settling it for himself after a long time? Or was it because his opponent was Noiz, who was so capable of arousing him, that was making him feel so out of himself today?

He gasped when he felt Noiz’s hand on his crotch, massaging it tenderly, teasingly, attempting to drive him to the edge of his sanity.

“Heh,” Noiz smirked. “I thought I’ve come to know all about you, but obviously I still have a long way to go.”

It goes both ways. All he could do was clinging onto Noiz when Noiz applied pressure to his hardened dick. With eyes closed, he could only surrender his body to the tormenting pleasure Noiz was giving him now, with no resistance whatsoever.

“Noiz…” he called out, which seemed to have acted as a powerful trigger for Noiz to slip his hand into his pants, touching on his dick directly and having him to cry out loud.

“Hah…” Heavy, hot breathing resounded by his ears. As he felt a lick against the shell of his ear, he bit on his lower lip, feeling Noiz rubbing hard on his length, his touch unskilful but obviously needy.

“I’m—Noiz, stop, I’m going to—“ He didn’t want him to stop, but he didn’t want to dirty his hand either. But that seemed to be the least of Noiz’s concern as he pumped harder and quicker on Aoba’s dick, forcing him to the edge. One press against the slit was all it needed for Aoba to moan out loud as he released all over Noiz’s hand, all the while with Noiz having his eyes on his expression. It was beyond embarrassing but it wasn’t something he could help; he didn’t have the strength to push Noiz away, neither did he have the intention to do so. Noiz’s hand felt so good on him, as if he knew exactly where to push to elicit the best reaction out of him.

As he cooled down from his orgasm, he stole a glance at Noiz, finding him still staring at him and immediately looking away.

“That’s very erotic,” Noiz commented. He pulled his hand out of Aoba’s pants, bringing it up to show Aoba the dripping liquid that was his own semen on his hand.

“I’m sorry! Erm, clean up—wait, Noiz?!”

Before Aoba could reach out to the tissue box at his bedside table, Noiz had brought his fingers to his mouth, licking experimentally on each of them, having Aoba to gape at him in shock.

“Bitter,” he said quietly.

“What do you expect?!” Aoba exclaimed out of shock. “Why did you do that?!”

Instead of answering him, Noiz merely lifted a smirk and brought himself closer so that he could kiss Aoba again.

“I’d really like to take you here and now but I figure that might be too much for your current body state,” Noiz whispered ardently, his eyes lustrous with obvious need. “At least you feel a bit better now, no?”

Noiz was right, but he wasn’t going to admit it. Pushing him away, he forced himself out of the bed, grasping onto Noiz’s wrist, with his hand still dripping of semen, and stormed his way towards the bathroom.

He was being carried away. Whatever just happened felt like it just flashed past his eyes and everything happened in such an intensely quick way that it was physically impossible for him to stomach.

Maybe once he was able to calm down – both physically and mentally – he’d be able to confront Noiz better on the matter.

What’s more important now was to clean themselves up, because he wasn't sure if he was in the right state to handle more mortification than he already did.

 

* * *

              

He’s lucky that it’s the weekend the next day so he spent the entire day in his own room, only waking up to eat and shower. It’s two dreadfully slow days for him, but perhaps it’s exactly what he needed. And all this while, Noiz stayed in his house, until Monday when he insisted that he should attend classes he still came back with Noiz accompanying him, then eventually staying over the night. The intimacy they shared seemed to have pulled their relationship closer in a drastic way. Noiz totally treated Aoba’s house as his own. By the third day he stayed over, he was already more than familiar with where Aoba had his things placed in his house. He moved around freely, buying things for the house whenever they lacked of, and he was the first and last thing Aoba saw when he woke and fell asleep.

Everything was moving in such a fast pace that it felt as if it was meant to be. When Aoba woke in the middle of the night one day, seeing how Noiz had fallen asleep by his side – his face pressed against his mattress, one arm below to support him – he knew that whatever he felt towards Noiz when he first knew him was already non-existent. He no longer felt hostile towards him, no longer intimidated by him, all that he felt from him was this immense sense of affection and a sort of adoration that made him want to protect him more. He caressed Noiz’s hair gently, careful not to wake him up before Noiz woke with a start, looking up to meet him in the gaze.

“Hey,” he called out softly. He’s no longer sick, just fatigued. But seeing Noiz having to spend time with him, focusing all his attention on him in such elusive way made his heart clench. Why was Noiz going to this extent to look after him? How did crushes work? Was _he_ having a crush towards Noiz, then?

Noiz grunted a tad before he sat, pressing the back of his hand against Aoba’s forehead to check his temperature.

“It’s not that bad anymore,” he said, as if chanting a comforting reminder to himself.

“I’m fine,” Aoba reassured, pulling Noiz’s hand down from his forehead as he smiled warmly at him. “How about you? Have you been eating properly?”

Noiz didn’t answer. Instead, he took Aoba’s hand into his and kissed his palm, the gesture so gentle Aoba felt as if his heart was going to burst out of his chest.

“Worry about yourself first,” Noiz said, and Aoba swore he caught him smiling at him. “You’re always so reckless. If no one looks after you, you might not even realize that you’re sick.”

It’s amazing how time could change a person. Or rather, it’s amazing how time could make one realize how a person really was. Acting completely out of instinct, he brought himself up, stroking Noiz on the cheek before he pressed his lips against Noiz’s, just gently.

“You’ve been looking over me for the longest time now,” he chuckled.

Noiz, his stalker, the one person he was so very intimidated of.

But now – they were no longer the same; they could no longer return to who they once were.

With a smile that Aoba could now clearly catch, Noiz returned his kiss, this time, deeply, and definitely intending to pull the air out of Aoba.

 

* * *

 

 

It’s been a while since he could enjoy the weather effusively. Stretching, he breathed in the fresh air of a winter morning, having the sunlight pouring onto his body, with him simply wearing a shirt and still in his pajama pants.

“Good morning, Midorijima!” he grinned. In the next moment, he felt arms wrapping around his body, then a weight pressing against his back before he reached his hand to the back, patting softly on the back of the head of the other man.

“Good morning to you too,” he chuckled.

Noiz kissed him on the cheek, releasing him so that they could come face to face. He didn’t seem like he wanted to go home anymore; Aoba’s home had indeed become _his_ home.

“You’ll catch a cold again if you walk out like this,” Noiz grumbled. Draping a coat around Aoba, he urged him back into the house, all the while with a frown on his face.

“Well, it’s been a while since I feel so energetic, my body is finally mine!” Aoba said excitedly. “That said, remember what I told you yesterday?”

Noiz remembered, he remembered everything Aoba told him. With a tentative stare, he sighed.

“If you’re sure about it.”

“Of course I am!” Aoba said. It’s our first date after all, was what he never voiced out loud.

He could clearly see the hesitance on Noiz’s face but he knew that Noiz would submit to whatever he wanted in the end. So, an hour later, they found themselves standing in front of their apartment building -- all dressed up in thick coats and swathed in layers of scarf alongside beanies on their heads to complete the package – all ready to head into town. The weekend city was filled with people, most of them out for shopping, most of them with friends and their family.

“I feel like I haven’t been seeing the world for a century,” Aoba said. “Oh yeah, it’s supposed to be Christmas soon.”

Noiz bore no expression whatsoever to Aoba’s comments. With Aoba’s hand in his, he merely followed Aoba’s pace, following him to wherever he wanted to go. Aoba didn’t seem like he was looking for anything anyway. He dragged Noiz to wherever he found interesting, pointing at snowmen he found along the road, even stopping in a park to build their very own snowmen before Noiz had to haul him out and stopped in a candy shop instead. Everything was new to Aoba. He was used to Christmas, but he was never used to spending it with someone that’s not his family members. To be honest, it could feel kind of lonely at times, but he’d come to live with it anyhow. Now though, with Noiz by his side, he was feeling the nostalgic sensation of spending a festive season with someone else all over again. He could see from Noiz’s expression that this was probably the first time he was spending Christmas with someone else as well. It’s not hard to figure him out anyway. He never saw him with any friends, further confirmed when he confronted Noiz about it just two days ago.

It was the reason why he wanted to spend time with Noiz out of the house today, for it’s Christmas, and it’s when miracles were bound to happen.

He still didn’t know a lot about Noiz: there were a lot of things about him that still remained as a mystery. He knew nothing about his background, what he liked and didn’t, what he did on a daily basis. All he knew was robust within him was the feelings he possessed towards this man. Could he call it love? Or crush? Or something else?

He had never been in love before, let alone a relationship; he wouldn’t know how it felt like to be in love. All he knew was that he wanted to know more about Noiz, be by his side, showing him all these things that he’d never seen before, and hopefully, drawing his smile out more often than he already did.

He never asked how Noiz came to fall for him either. Was it really love? Or simply just a transitory crush? Was Noiz certain of his feelings? Or was there something else that Aoba wouldn’t know?

He’d never know the answers to these questions – especially not when Noiz probably didn’t know of the answers himself. All he wanted to do now was to spend this very moment with him, believing that everything that was happening between them were meant to be, and that they’d work things out regardless of what direction they were heading to.

“Ah, let’s stop by there!” He pointed towards a direction, where a large fountain stood in the centre of the square. There were a few couples sitting around it, a few families hanging around the place with their children playing around with each other. Winter had carpeted the tiles in white, layers of snow had their boots sinking into it when they walked. They stopped by the fountain, Aoba pulling his hands out and blew hot air into it, attempting to warm himself up.

“Cold?” Noiz asked.

“Just a bit. But I’m fine,” he quickly added when Noiz started pulling on his own scarf.

With their hands in each other’s, they sat by the fountain, staring around, simply indulging in the simple silence they were engulfed in. How did they end up in this situation again? he wondered. When did the confession happen? Did it even happen? Or they were simply going with the flow? Noiz felt warm by his side. Even with his hand wrapped in thick layers of his glove, he could undeniably feel the warmth vibrating from his palm, warming him from the inside out. The once cold brat was now tarnished with a vague layer of vibrancy – his once detached pair of eyes now gleamed with hidden fervour, his smirk now curved into genuine smile. It’s everything Aoba hadn’t expected from Noiz, yet it was everything he ever wanted of him.

There must be a reason why he’s so persistent with Aoba in the first place, and there must be a reason why he’s not telling Aoba yet. He always had his own reservations when it came to words anyway, and Aoba would allow him as much time as he needed – he would wait for him as long as he could – until he was finally ready to open up to him.

“Hey,” he breathed.

“Hm?”

“Do you believe in wishes?”

He knew it was a question in vain. It’s hard to even believe that Noiz would believe in this kind of thing. He simply didn’t look like a person who would.

“Assuming that I can grant you a wish,” he quickly added, just an attempt to hide how awkward he’d sounded when he asked. “what would you ask from me?”

Noiz smiled, a smile that Aoba hadn’t anticipated, and definitely one that was a trait Aoba had come to love most.

“Wish, huh?” Noiz started unhurriedly. “I’ve always wanted to defeat you in Rhyme.”

“…huh?”

Rhyme? Why would Noiz bring this up now?

“I discovered you when I started,” Noiz explained. “But it’s a bit annoying knowing that you’d pulled out before anyone can defeat you.”

“You’re trying to say… that I’m still on the top of the ranking after all these years?” Aoba asked, trying to make sense of things.

“Hmm,” Noiz hummed. “You’ve always been.”

That’s a bit surprising. He didn’t expect himself to be _so good_ that no one could top his score yet.

“Rightfully so,” Noiz added. “Seeing how you had even made it to the top of my—nothing.”

“Huh? What?” Aoba pressed. “Don’t stop on me like this.”

“Nothing,” Noiz repeated. 

“C’mon,” Aoba nudged. “It’s unfair leaving me hanging like this. Okay, at least tell me one wish besides that one.”

“You don’t intend to give up on your title, huh?” Noiz smirked.

Without waiting for Aoba to answer, Noiz turned, cupping Aoba’s face and pressing their foreheads together.

“If there’s one thing I could wish for, it’s for you to spend Christmas with me again like this.”

What’s a crush? What’s love? How would one define these tremendous horde of emotions beneath their chests?

Perhaps they didn’t need a definition – they didn’t need to know what is a crush, nor a love. They only needed to know more about each other and that would be their own definition of how being in love would feel like.

As they held each other in their arms, they knew that it’s only the beginning of everything wonderful that was to happen – for they had each other, with Aoba being Noiz’s biggest idol of all time, and Noiz being Aoba’s biggest follower for the longest time ever.

               

               


End file.
